Breath of Fire: Of Time and Destiny
Chapter Three: Wrong place, wrong time
Time:Terra year 2190
Location:Neo New York, Terra
"NOW what the hell is that?" Bob asked nobody in particular as he ready his katar, as his friends do the same as well as they faced the blue vortex, waiting for whatever it is to emerged from. But after few minutes of tense moment, the vortex just sits there doing nothing.
Everyone began to look at each other in confusion and lower their guard. "What? There's nothing going on and where did this thing come from?" Jack asked in general, hoping one of his friends can answer his question.
"It looks like a portal of some sort, but it is a complete different level from the portals used in the Teleportation Center….I can sense this one is more powerful…" Raquel gave her explanation to her friends.
"More powerful? You mean it can transport people to another continent or something like that?" Selphie put her opinion forward, to which Raquel shakes her head.
"I'm not sure….it could be more powerful than just that….." Raquel then looks at the vortex again.
"This is creepy….very creepy…" Zack muttered to himself.
While everybody is busy discussing what the blue vortex is, Stella put her bat'leth back into the silver case and began looking around. Robert is the first one to notice her.
"Hey Stella, what are you doing?" He asks, which have everyone stop their discussion and look at her. Stella did not answer him, but instead pick up a rock with her free hand and threw it into the vortex.
"Uh… sis? What are you doing?" Jack asked her sister wide-eyed.
"Throwing rocks." Stella's answer is short and simple and she continues to throw more rocks into the vortex. Jack threw his hand up in disbelieve at his sister's action.
"I can see that, sis! But throwing rocks in that thing is not a good thing!" Jack cried out his concern, which her sister just waves him off.
"Just relax, bro…this thing is harmless. Look!" Stella actually walk towards the portal, throwing rocks into the vortex at a close distance, which have her friends flabbergast at her actions.
"Stella, maybe you should stay away from that until we get some expert to see this portal." Miyako called out to Stella, in an attempt to get her away from the blue vortex.
"Don't be so chicken, Miyako. See? It's nothing, guys." Stella turns her back on the vortex and look at her friends with a smile. Unknown to her, the vortex suddenly begin to edge closer to her, which her friends gasped in horror.
"Stella! Run!" Robert shouted to her when he began running towards her. But it was too late, the vortex suck her in before she could even have time to scream. This event has everyone in a shock, but Robert is the first one to recover and charge towards the vortex.
"STELLA!" He cried before he disappears into the vortex. Jack also recovered from his shock and charge towards the vortex without a second thought.
"JACK! NO!" Both Zack and Xing Long tried to grab him but they are too late to stop him as Jack disappears into the vortex.
"GODDAMN IT!" Bob cursed himself and punch his hand on the ground while the girls are trying to take it in everything that happens so far. It was Diana who spoke out and got everyone's attention.
"Everyone, listen. I know this is a lot for all of us to take in, but I have a feeling our time is short. We have two options: one is to jump after them through the portal into the unknown, or two stay here and get help. We better choose quickly or it will be too late." Diana then began looking at her friends, who all look at each other, knowing that Diana has already made her decision then everyone smile at the same time.
"Let's do it!" Bob began to crackle his hands while Zack gives a thumbs up. Both Raquel and Stella also nodded their heads in agreement.
"I have a feeling we are going to be in a lot of trouble for this." Miyako shakes her head, then smile to her friends. "But I have no regrets." Everyone then turn to Xing Long for his answer. Xing Long just sighed and looks at his friends.
"Of all the crazy things that I have been with you guys for one particular year, you think I actually back out of this one?" Everyone smile at his answer.
"All right, let's go!" Bob shouted and all of them begin to jump into the vortex one by one. When Xing Long jump through the vortex last, the vortex begin to shimmer and it then disappear, leaving no evidence of whatsoever behind.
Time?
Location?
In the darkest of all places, where there is virtually no sun to show its light, it was thunderstorm that took its place; with lightning occasionally hit the barren wasteland below. There a giant castle can be seen sitting on a landscape surrounded by lava, with only a giant drawbridge as the only access point to the castle's entrance. Unholy beasts with wings have been flying around the castle like vultures, waiting for anyone foolishly dares to enter the castle and decimate them.
Inside the castle, where lamps with blue flames provide the only lights to illuminate the dark corridors, a meeting has been taken place in the main room where its purpose can only be described as sinister and evil. This meeting is attended by six figures with black hood covering their bodies and faces and they are here to discuss something that has just happen.
"I do not need to say why we need this meeting on a short notice. All of you, including me, have probably felt this magic presence by now and we are here to know why or what it is that may complicate our plans."
"I can only think this magic that powerful can only belong to, it is probably that clan…"
"Impossible! That clan is already extinct! We already make sure of it!"
"Or have we? This clan after all is a very cunning one….it took us years just to find them and even then they still put a good fight against us…"
"And in the end, their whole clan is dead. We should have no fear and do whatever to accomplish our purpose; this magic presence is probably nothing at all."
"Even so, such power is not easy to ignore. I suggest caution is needed."
"Caution? With all due respect, our time is now against us and we still do not find what we seek!"
"Enough! This bickering is pointless. Whatever that clan is planning even though they are dead may just be hindrance, but not enough to stop us. Even so, I will have one of my subordinates to investigate this matter immediately. Now to the main agenda, what of the progress of our agents in those eras?"
"They have made progress in locating 'them' due to the banishment of both Myria and DeathEvan from their respective era, but they have trouble finding 'them' because they do not want to alert the destined child in those eras to their activities and have request permission to use the 'resources' available at each era to distract them from their activities."
"Why do we go sneaking around and looking for 'them' when we had the power to crush them! I say screw the timeline and kill them!"
"In case your brain is only for putting up as display and incapable of thinking, I will tell you why. It is one of the tricks left behind by that clan, if we disturb too much in the timeline, what we seek will also vanished or relocated to a different place or time and we really do not have time for that."
"Besides, this clan also used Myria and DeathEvan's evil auras to mask 'them' perfectly, so it took us a long time to finally realize their plan and search their supposed location in each era. Unfortunately we have to depend on the destined child to banish them so in the end they might detect us if we do our activities, very foolproof I say."
"But not foolproof enough. We may not be able to interfere directly, but we can use or corrupt certain individuals in each era to be our unwilling pawns and distract the destined child from noticing us and caused little disturbance in the timeline."
"But wouldn't the destined child suspect something of miss is going on if we do that?"
"Of course, you can count on them to suspect something. They are not idiots and will try to find out what is going on. But by the time they do that, we will be long gone, with 'them' safely tucked in our hands."
"Is there anyone in this meeting wish to speak out against such idea? No? Then it is decided. The agents have the permission to use the available 'resources' in each era to complete their tasks. We will complete this mission for our Emperor and his great vision realized. This meeting is adjourned."
With that said, the blue flames that illuminate the meeting dimmed out.
Time:Goddess Era 2020
Location:Windlan, Aspiara
In front of the blue vortex, Ryu, Zeke and Raifel prepare their weapons and stand vigilant in case something comes out of it while Nina and Gaist took cover in the far end of the room. Nina cursed herself for not having a rapier with her and therefore cannot fight beside Ryu and the others against whatever it is that may come out (though Ryu and the other two have to avoid getting hit by rocks spit out by the vortex so far).
At just this moment, the vortex have spit out a girl, who was screaming and crash right onto Ryu, making him fall on the ground with her. Both Zeke and Raifel quickly went to his side to see if Ryu was okay when the vortex spit 4 more people out, crashing into them as well. After the dust subsided, Ryu, Zeke and Raifel were being piled along with five people of strange clothing. When Nina flew over to see whether they are all ok, Gaist then spoke out in astonishment.
"Look! The portal!" Ryu, Zeke and Raifel managed to get out of the pile of bodies to see it happen. The blue vortex shimmer and then it disappear, which has everyone confounded. Ryu then look down at the five 'visitors' that now lay unconscious on the ground, and discovered there were three girls and two boys, all wearing strange clothing and have weapons of their own except the girl with a cape. The two boys consists of a strong, black guy (Ryu think if Karn grows up, this might be him) and another one dressed like the one that the king of Camlon (Ryu then wonder if he is a king or something). The three girls consists of a girl with capes, a blond-hair girl with a silver case and the last girl has the strangest clothing he ever see and has a spear.
"Ryu, are you ok?" Ryu snapped out of his thought and look at the concerned Nina with a smile. "Don't worry, Nina. I'm fine. But I believe our visitors here need some medical attention." Ryu pointedly looking at the unconscious group on the ground.
"I'll take a look at them; maybe my healing magic can help." Nina then sat down and begin to chant when Zeke stop her.
"Wait! Princess, I do not mean to be rude, but we do not know these people and they may be hostile. It will be safer if we first put them in prison and confiscate their weapons for safety precaution." Zeke advised with Raifel nodding his head. "I agreed with Zeke, though I don't like it but I guess safety first is more important."
Nina frowned at her bodyguards' suggestion but she lowered her head, knowing they were having a point as well. "I-I see….." But Ryu shakes his head. "No, I don't think they are hostile at all." This answer has everyone look at him in surprise.
"What makes you think so, Sir Ryu?" Gaist asked. Ryu just shook his head in response.
"I don't know……I just had a feeling that these guys are not hostile, that's all…"
"Ryu's feelings are always right in the end and if Ryu says they are ok, then I trust him as well." Nina smiled with confidence.
Zeke sighed while Raifel put a hand on Zeke's shoulder, laughing softly. "Well Zeke? Now that the princess said so, we might as well trust their judgment." Zeke finally nodded his head in agreement.
"All right then…if the princess say so, then I have no complains. But if these people decide to attack when they wake up, I will have no choice but take necessary action."
"Thank you Zeke, Raifel. Now let us get some help to move them to infirmary." Nina suggested to which Raifel nodded and went out to get some guards. While Nina tended to the unconscious 'visitors' with help from Zeke and Ryu, Gaist then went on to find the ancient book and began to study the book.
"While you young ones do just that, I'm going to examine this for a while…I'll tell you guys when I find something, ok?" Gaist asked them, where everyone nodded their heads in agreement.
Time:Goddess Era 2520
Location:Hometown, Aspiara
Ryu and his friends were preparing themselves in front of the blue vortex, weapons at the ready. So far, nothing strange has happen since the blue vortex appeared except it has been spiting out rocks, which have everyone doing the best they can to avoid getting hit.
At this very moment, the vortex decides to spit out a male figure, which he was screaming and later crashing onto poor Bow. Just as the others turn to see their friend, four more figures came flying out of the vortex, two of them crash onto Ryu and two more on top of already flatten Bow, whom he yelp in pain. This has all the remaining girls staring, who did not expect such a turn of events. Then, Yua gasped in surprised and pointed her finger in the direction of the vortex.
"Everyone! Look! The vortex…." She didn't finish the sentence and everyone (including Ryu and Bow who managed to get themselves out from the pile of bodies) look at the vortex. The vortex start to shimmer for a few second and then it was gone, leaving no trace of it. Everyone felt dumbfounded about this and they start to look at the unconscious figures lying prone on the ground. They found that the group is consists of three boys and two girls, all wearing strange clothing and have weapons as well. The first boy has a bo staff strapped to his back (with Katt having great interest since she never see other fighters using it beside her), the second one has a sword strapped to his back as well (which Ryu think whether this guy is a good swordsman or not) and the third one has two short swords strapped to his waist (both Yua and Bow begin wondering if he is a thief). The other two girls also has strange weapons as well, with one of them has two sticks connected with a chain strapped to her back while the other one have some sort of launcher type fastened on her right hand.
"Just who are these people?" Nina shyly asks her friends. Ryu noted that Nina may have become more open because of the journey they had together in the past, but she still have trouble speaking to total strangers. Knowing one day she could overcome her shyness, Ryu then speak what he thinks is right.
"We'll find out later. First these guys need medical attention. Fiona, is there an infirmary in the School?" Ryu asks her, who nodded her head in response. "We have an infirmary here and the doctor in charge here, Dr Joan, is an expert in healing. I think that will be no problem fixing them up." Ryu nodded to her and proceed to carry one of the boys.
"Ehhh…..wait, brother! Don't you think the possibility that these guys will attack us when they wake up?" Yua asks with concern. But Ryu shook his head.
"I don't think so….I believe these guys are not hostiles…." This caught the attention of all his friends.
"Why do you say that, Ryu? How can you be so sure?" Katt asked with curiosity.
"I don't know how to describe it……but I just had this feeling that they are not hostile…..that's all….." Ryu left the words hanging.
"Ryu is always right about these things. So I trust him when he says these people are good people." Nina added her support to Ryu.
"Well then, if buddy say so, then I will say I trust his instincts. Now then should we carry them to the infirmary?" Bow gestured to their 'guests' and everyone nodded their heads as they begin carrying them to the infirmary.
Time:Goddess Era 2020
Location:Windlan, Aspiara
The doctor have just came out of the infirmary, which the door is guarded by 2 Wing Clan soldiers, and went to talk to Ryu, Nina, Zeke and Raifel, who were waiting at the corridor.
"So, how are they, doctor?" Nina asks first. The doctor then smile to the princess.
"Don't worry about them, princess. Except for some minor concussion, they are basically just fine. They should be waking up anytime soon." Nina and the others felt relief at the news. Nina then thanked the doctor and she and the others proceed through the door to the infirmary.
And just as predicted by the doctor, one of the girls from the group that laid on their individual beds in infirmary have shown signs of regaining consciousness. Zeke looked to Raifel, who nodded his head and begin to stand guard near the door while Nina and Ryu went to converse with the girl.
The girl finally sat up, massaging her forehead while talking to herself. "Great….looks like I just done something stupid…..everybody is going to be piss….." Ryu and Nina look at each other first, then Nina decide to talk first.
"Are you all right?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine….I met things much worse tha……huh?" The girl finally looks up to see who was speaking and she has a surprised look when she looks at them.
"Errrrr……hello there?" The girl finally spoke after a while of scrutinizing them.
"I guess it was a surprise for you and you have a lot of questions to ask, but first I believe an introduction is needed here. My name is Ryu Clivestone from Drogen." Ryu responded with a bow.
"I am Nina Windlan, princess of the Wing Clan and you are now in the infirmary because you have been unconscious since you all came here." Nina explains to the girl.
The girl, who has been staring at Ryu and Nina for some time, managed to recompose herself. "Well, I'm Stella, Stellar Loussier from Neo New York of the Confederation of New Nation." This have both Ryu and Nina (including Raifel and Zeke at the door) stared at her blankly.
"Uhhh….Neo what?" Ryu said with a dumbfounded expression. This caused Stella beginning to scratch her head.
"Wait…don't tell me….This got to be some sort of joke going on……" Stella began mumbling to herself.
Before anyone could say a word, another groan caught everyone's attention and they turn to see the other four have begun to regain consciousness. Stella gasped in surprise to see her friends for the first time.
"Robert!" She cried out and jumped off her bed and raced to his side, with Ryu and Nina coming from behind. Stella also looked at the other three at their beds. "Bob, Miyako and Raquel are here too….." Stella whispered to herself when Robert opens his eyes.
"Hey Stella, you look like you're in one piece. I'm glad you're okay." He smiled when he saw Stella by his side. "You always tend to get in trouble, especially last time when we had a run in with those Tyrano…" Stella blushed at his last comment.
"Cut the crap, will ya? That was two months ago, and why are you here? Do you…." Stella left the words hanging, with her still redden. Robert felt himself sheepish when he sees her blushing face. "Stella, there's no way I could be standing there doing nothing so I just charged in without thinking…." He explained solemnly.
Just then, Ryu decide to cough to catch their attention (though he was reluctant to spoil the mood going on). This have Stella blush madly and quickly punch Robert in the stomach, making him winch in pain. Both Ryu and Nina have a big sweat drop on their heads when they see this. Bob, Miyako and Raquel all woke up at this moment and began to survey their surroundings.
"What the….where is this place? Do we hit our head or something?" Miyako spoke with a disbelieving face, wondering whether she is dreaming or not.
"Wow…..I must have drink too much wine…..I could see people with wings unless I'm hallucinating…..we'll not dead, are we?" Bob attempted to joke about this to no avail. Raquel just sits on her bed, surveying her surroundings and the people without any comment. Stella turns to Ryu and Nina.
"Ryu, Nina. Will you guys give us some time to regroup ourselves?" Stella asked apologetically. Ryu and Nina nodded their heads and step back to the door where Zeke and Raifel are standing guard, who are all amused at the whole situation. They watch Stella talking to her friends who are now gathered around her as she tried to calm them down (especially Miyako, who pratically decides to strangle her for her stunt near the portal). After a while, Stella and the others then finally walk towards Ryu's direction.
"Sorry for waiting, we've got to sort some issues up a bit. But now let us all introduce ourselves. You guys know me already, but I'll say it again. I'm Stellar Loussier." She said apologetically while rubbing her sore neck thanks to Miyako.
"Yo! I'm Bob Seagil, nice to meet you!" He gave them a thumbs up as his way of saying hello.
"Miyako Kururugi at your service." She bowed her head as respect. Nina then raised her eyebrow.
"That is an unusual name…..I never heard such a name before." Nina spoke out, which have Miyako laughing nervously.
"I have a feeling you might say that, so I'm not surprised."
"My name is Raquel Casull. Pleased to meet you." She smiled at them.
"Friends called me Robert, and you can call me that as well." He gave them a wink, then he proceed to cup Nina's hand who gave him a skeptical look. "Hey, your name's Nina right? How about you and I go out on a date? Just the two of us….." Robert attempts to charm Nina, which infuriated Ryu and have Bob shaking his head.
"Let go of her hand this instant, buster! Or I'll send you swimming with the fish!" Stella threatened Robert with a glare enough to send an undead back to its grave. Robert winced at her tone and he slowly releases Nina's hand (to the relief to Nina).
"I can't help it….whenever I see a beautiful girl, I tend to lose control of myself and ask them for a date…"
"Then start control yourself or I'll make it for you….." Stella glared at him dangerous and he immediately salute to her.
"Yes, Madam!"
Ryu is secretly glad that Stella is the one who stop Robert from flirting with Nina. If not, things are not going to be very pleasant in the end. Shaking his head, Ryu then spoke to the group.
"Well then, let me introduce myself again. My name is Ryu Clivestone from Drogen." Ryu bowed to them modestly.
"I'm Nina Windlan, princess of Wing Clan and you are now in the castle's infirmary. This is Zeke and Raifel, my family's bodyguards." She gestured to them near the door, who nodded their heads in response.
"Wait…..did you said you are a princess?" Robert said, wide-eyed. Nina nodded her head with a smile. Robert then tapped his head in a panic. "Oh no…..oh no….."
"Dude, this goes to show you have to know the girl before you date them or the consequences…..could be fatal." Bob said to his friend dryly while Raquel giggles at the remark.
"Don't worry. I won't punish you for that incident but please try not to do that again." Nina still has that smile on her face. Robert then released his breath with relief (and of course disappointed at the same time).
"Now that we have introduced ourselves, I can say for everybody that we have a lot of questions to ask you guys." Miyako immediately gets to the main point, to which Ryu nodded.
"I know what you mean. But ask away any questions, we'll try to answer the best we can and besides it is my fault that you guys are here." Ryu said apologetically, which Stella and the others look at him.
"What do you mean, your fault?" Stella asks with a confused look.
Nina then proceed to tell them about an ancient book that Professor Gaist found, how Ryu chanted the particular spell in the book, the appearance of the blue vortex and how they got here.
"Hey, wait a sec!" Miyako asked when Nina finished the story. "You said there's only five of us that came through the vortex, right?" Nina nodded again, this time it is Nina and her friends who are confused.
"She's right! What happen to Jack and the others? I know Jack jump in after Robert, and we all decided to jump in the vortex together! They should be here with us." Bob clarified it to Ryu and the others, who shook their heads.
"I'm sorry…but you guys are the only ones who emerged from the portal…"Ryu said sadly. Upon hearing that, Stella suddenly turn around from the others, look around, saw her silver case and bag on the table along with other weapons, strode towards and begin to fasten her pouch. Everyone look at her in surprise.
"Uhhhh…..Stella? What are you doing?" Robert asks, though he has a bad feeling of what she is going to say.
"Easy…..we go and find Jack and the others. They might have fallen somewhere from another vortex and they might need our help." With that, she wear her jacket and begin moving towards the door.
Miyako immediately stop her by blocking her way. "Stella, I know how you feel. Damn, even I feel frustrated and want to find them myself but rushing out is not going to help, especially we do not even know where they are!" Miyako told her in an exasperated manner.
"My brother and our friends are out there somewhere! I'm not going to sit here, doing nothing while they could be in danger!" Stella shouted to her friend, then promptly shut herself up. "Oh! I'm sorry, Miyako. I can't help but think this could be my fault that this all happen…" she apologize. Miyako then shook her head and smiled to her friend.
"No need to apologize. What already happens is in the past and we all choose to do this because of our own free will."
"Miyako's right! We choose to do this, and besides in the past we promised ourselves that we stick together, no matter what happens." Bob smiled confidently at Stella.
"Besides you should trust your brother and the others. They are skilled fighters and have gone through the most dangerous situation with us couple of times, besides Diana's with them, they are in good hands." Robert smiled to her reassuringly, with Raquel nodded her head in agreement.
"Thank you, guys." Stella smiled brightly to her friends.
Ryu and Nina, who have witnessed this, remembered their journey with their friends together and knew Stella and the others have been through a lot to have this bond.
"If you guys give me the description of your friends, I will be able to do everything in my power to help and search for them in this kingdom. If they are found, I will inform you." Nina offered her assistance to them, which Stella gladly accepted.
"Thanks Nina. We owe you one."
"Looks like we do not have to worry about them being hostile, right Zeke?" Raifel looks up to his friend and smiles. Zeke smiles as well.
"I guess that's twice in a row for me now. These people may be interesting as well."
"Now that it is over, I believe I should ask a question we all be wondering about. Why do you people have wings?" Raquel asks with a smile. Nina, Zeke and Raifel all gave her the blank look.
"Now that you say it, I'm kinda wondering about that as well." Stella said that as well, with the other three nodding their heads.
Ryu sighed and knew this is going to be one long day……
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Somewhere in the south sea, a submerged castle which has not been discovered for many millennia, lies dormant on the sea floor. At the main room where it is not flooded with water, some kind of seal can be seen glowing on the doors and the surrounding wall, as if keeping something from waking up. Then a black portal open up in the middle of a room, with a man wearing a purple hood emerged from it. He begins to examine the seal on the door, then chuckled.
"So this is the seal that Myria used to keep them sleeping. But now that the eight heroes defeated her, the seal has weaken that eventually it will be gone even without any help though it take years….oh well, might as well do it."
The mystery hooded man then begin to chant a spell, then hurl it like a ball at the seal. The seal resisted for a while, but it soon disappeared from the door and the surrounding wall. Then the castle began to shake.
"Now let the mayhem begins!" The purple hooded man then laughs maniacally then walking back into the portal and gone. (1)
(1) Since the Princess of Wings, judging from the translation Mary made in that the Ice Dragon Clan awake by themselves, I decide to modify it into somebody decide to help them wake up in this fic.:P